Blue Apron Subscription: Beluga Lentil Stew

Hi, Everyone!

In an effort to spend less time meal planning and more time reading, I decided to give Blue Apron a try. It costs less than taking the whole family to a restaurant, and it seemed like a fun way to add some new recipes to my repertoire.

Tonight: Beluga Lentil Stew & Squash Agrodolce

Friends, I have a new go-to recipe for lentil stew. The red onion made a HUGE flavor difference; I’ll never make lentils without one again (the epic serving of butter I added at the end didn’t hurt either)!

 

Maybe it’s because I have two kids under 4, but I’m beginning to realize the estimated prep times are for, you know, Super Ultra Chopper People Who Don’t Have Any Distractions. I started cooking around 5:30; dinner was on the table shortly after 7. That may seem like a really, really long time, but guys, not only did I make this recipe, I also fed a baby, bottled a baby, changed a diaper, scolded a 3-year-old for running his baby sister over with his bike, and answered two phone calls, all without burning anything. I’d call it an average dinner prep night time-wise.

If I make it again (which I’m going to . . . Husband LOVED it):

1. add extra garlic (oh wait, I did that anyway. GARLIC IS NOM!)
2. halve the red wine vinegar . . . it was yummy, but it overpowered all the other flavors
3. forget the fancy breadsticks and pop open a tube of crescent rolls
4. I’m pretty sure I’m going to say this about every recipe, but here goes: separate the garlic bulbs, plant them in the back yard so I don’t feel like I’m wasting them, and crack open my giant jar of pre-minced stuff. Because, you know, mincing garlic is yuck.

DID MY KIDS EAT IT: No. We didn’t share.